Psychological Impact of Watching the News
While staying up to date on what is happening in the world and your community is important, it’s also vital to understand how watching or reading the news impacts your mental health.
Studies by the American Psychological Association (APA)and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that watching the news can have a negative psychological impact. In fact, research by the APA showed that those who frequently sought out news during the pandemic were more likely to experience emotional distress than those who didn’t.
Occasionally checking the news is a good practice to stay informed. However, an addiction can form when you become obsessed with the news, feel the need to check it multiple times a day or experience feelings of being “left out” if you are not up to date. Studyfinds.org reported that “news addicts” were more likely to “experience poor physical and mental health than those who were less obsessed with the news.”
Lowering your news consumption can help ease anxiety, reduce feelings of stress and improve overall psychological wellbeing. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Delete social media from your phone. Reading a quick news post can quickly turn into doomscrolling, and it may be difficult to avoid hearing or reading about adverse world events while on social media. Reduce social media usage by deleting the apps off your phone or setting a reminder to log off at certain times. This practice can help you be more intentional when checking the news.
Set boundaries regarding talking about politics or current events. Because nearly everyone consumes the news on some level, boundaries around conversations are vital. Let your co-workers, family and friends know you are taking a break from the news. Don’t hesitate to remove yourself from the conversation if the topic arises in a group setting.
Schedule a time every day or week to check the news. Block out a specific time in your calendar to check the news. Ideally, do this before you are scheduled to do something else to give yourself a hard cutoff time.
Seek news outlets that only report facts. You want to understand what is happening in the world through facts, not biased opinions, incorrect data or assumptions. Unfortunately, many news outlets leverage fear and anxiety to keep the viewer’s attention. Consider searching for a news outlet that does its best only to report the facts. It’s a good idea to check several sources whenever you hear a story. There are a number of fact-checking websites where you may double-check information.
Seek out "feel good” news. The negativity that often fills the news cycle can significantly impact your mental health, making it more challenging to keep a positive mindset. Be proactive about searching for good news in your community and around the globe. This can help you feel hopeful and ease anxiety about the world.
Sources: National Library of Medicine, APA.org and StudyFinds.org
